


Drenched

by dreaminrubies



Series: Family Saga [2]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Multi, Murder Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-03
Updated: 2013-08-25
Packaged: 2017-12-17 14:31:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/868640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreaminrubies/pseuds/dreaminrubies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarice is growing up. (sequel to Family, very domestic Hannigram/Murder Family fic)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

                 _Clarice blinked when she felt the warm spray of blood.  It was sticky and hot against her cheeks.  She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing would come out.  Instead all she could taste was copper.  Blood filled her mouth and she knew she was going to choke to death on it.  And she liked it._

~~

                She shuddered awake with Athena pressed against her back.  The fluffy, white Samoyed stirred awake and pushed her wet nose against the girl’s cheek.

                “I’m ok, I’m ok,” the twelve year old soothed while giving Athena reassuring pets.

                Athena’s tail wagged then she closed her eyes and settled back in for sleep.  Clarice laid awake for the rest of the night.  She was much too big to sneak into bed with her fathers.  She wondered if Abigail would be awake.  College kids kept late hours didn’t they?  Her fingers itched to grab the phone by her bed, but she thought better of it.  She needed to learn how to self soothe.  She had read about that in one of Papa’s books.

                Her alarm went off and Athena hopped off the bed, barking excitedly at the girl.

                “Shhh, I’m coming,” Clarice said and put on her slippers before taking Athena out back.  The dog had been a twelfth birthday present from her fathers.  A couple of Daddy’s dogs had passed away during the past four years and the house was starting to feel too empty, especially with Abigail off at college.  She would be graduating this year and had been accepted to Papa’s alma mater for a doctorate program.  At least she would be closer to home.

                Athena did her business then bounded over to Clarice and covered her face with kisses.

                “Yes, yes, I love you too,” Clarice laughed then took her back inside.  She filled the dogs’ dishes with food and water then poured herself a glass of orange juice.

                She rested her head on one hand while she took small sips.  Her eyelids grew heavy due to the lack of sleep from last night.  She hadn’t even realized that she had drifted off until Daddy shook her awake.

                “Sorry,” she mumbled as she lifted her head off the table.

                “It’s ok; did you not sleep well last night?” Will asked with concern.

                “I had a nightmare,” she admitted softly, her eyes avoiding his gaze.

                “Would you like to tell me what it was about?”

                She closed her eyes and touched her cheek.  She could still feel the warm spray of blood.

                “Is it ok that I don’t?”

                “You know I won’t force you.”  He gave her a kind smile.

                “I really don’t want to tell Papa either, could we maybe not tell him that I had a nightmare?” she asked hopefully.

                “He doesn’t like it when we hide things from him.”  She gave him puppy dog eyes and he sighed.  “That’s not fair at all, Clarice.”

                “ _Please_.”

                “Fine, but you need to look more awake then or he’ll know,” Will warned.

                “Thank you.”

                Winston and Tina trotted in and began to scarf down their food while Athena stretched her body out in front of the glass doors.

                “Good morning,” Hannibal said as he stepped into the kitchen with Lamia at his side.  The Doberman turned her head towards Clarice and wagged her cropped tail.

                “Morning, Papa,” Clarice smiled and allowed Lamia to lick her hand.

                “Did you sleep well?” he asked while he prepared his French press.

                “Yeah,” she lied while she stroked Lamia’s ears.

                His maroon eyes flickered over her face briefly, but he said nothing.  He merely sipped on his coffee once it was ready then began to prepare breakfast.  The crepes were delicious and the dogs gobbled down their bacon.  Lamia received extra of course, but Clarice made sure to sneak Athena extra bites when Papa wasn’t looking.

                After breakfast, she took a shower then made sure she had everything ready for school.  However, the exhaustion started to creep in and she found herself struggling to braid her hair.  The gray wool socks felt itchy on her skin and she wanted to rip this stupid uniform off.

                “Fuck,” she swore as she slammed her brush onto the dresser and pushed her socks down to her ankles.

                “Clarice,” Hannibal said firmly, having overheard from outside her door.

                Her cheeks flushed red.  “Sorry, Papa…I’m just…”

                “Tired?” Hannibal offered as he stepped into her room, already dressed in one of his impeccable suits.

                “Uh, maybe a little,” she admitted.

                “You did not sleep well then,” he stated the picked up her hairbrush.  He slowly dragged the bristles down her hair before he started a French braid.

                “No, I didn’t, sorry that I lied to you earlier,” she said softly, relaxing under his touch.

                “Nightmares?” he asked simply.

                “Yeah.”

                “You can tell me about it, after school,” he stated and she nodded.

                “Yes, Papa.”

                He secured her braid with a black band then kissed her forehead.

                ‘I’m very good at helping with nightmares,” he smiled and she found herself smiling back.

~~

                Her finger itched to push down on the 3 on her dial pad.  She really wanted to talk to Abigail.  She understood so much.  She thought better of it and put her phone back into her little bag then returned to her lunch.  She took her fork and speared a strawberry with it.  The red juices want onto her white plate and she suddenly lost her appetite.

~~

                She spotted the silver Mercedes waiting for her in the pick up lane.

                “Bye Clarice,” Elena said and waved her hand.

                “Bye, see you tomorrow,” the twelve year old said before she climbed into the expensive car.  The cool air felt good on her warm cheeks.

                “You look flushed, my dear, are you feeling alright?” Hannibal asked as his cold hand cupped one side of her hot face.

                “No, not really, Papa,” she admitted.

                “What’s wrong?”

                “I don’t know,” she sighed because she really didn’t.

                “Hmm,” was all Hannibal said before he drove them home.  For some reason she found his response extremely annoying and her short nails dug into her knees.

                The car ride was silent and he watched as the sullen girl pressed herself closer to the door, further away from him.

                “Have I done something to upset you, Clarice?” he asked.

                “No.”  Short, monosyllabic.

                “Did something happen at school?”

                “No.”

                She watched his mouth twitch and she hid her little smile.

                “Is your nightmare bothering you still?”

                She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.  The no was at the tip of her tongue, but she would be lying and he would know.  He hated when any of them lied to him.

                “Yeah, a little bit.”

                “We’ll talk at home.”

                “Yes, Papa.”

~~

                He fixed them some tea and took her into his study.  She was still in her uniform minus her socks and shoes and he made a mental note to press everything in the morning for her since the clothing was becoming rumpled as she relaxed on the couch with Athena at her feet.  Her polished toes rubbed over the soft, white fur.

                “What do you remember from the nightmare?” he asked, looking intently at her.

                She cradled the warm cup in her hands.  “There was a lot of blood.”

                “Where was the blood coming from?  From you?”

                “No, not me.”

                “Someone else then.  From anyone in our family?”

                “No, I’ve never seen him before.”

                “Why was he bleeding, Clarice?”

                She took a sip of the hot liquid and didn’t answer.

                “ _Clarice_.”

                “I made him bleed.”

                “What did you do to him?”

                “I slit his throat.”

                “Why?”

                “Don’t know.  Just did.  Felt good, all that blood on my face,” she mumbled and she watched as his eyes flashed with pride.

                “I wouldn’t call what you had a nightmare.”

                “I knew you wouldn’t.”

                “Which is why you didn’t want to tell me.”  Was that hurt in his voice?

                She nodded then looked down at Athena’s sleeping body.  She didn’t want to look at him anymore.

                Hannibal said nothing, merely drank his own tea.

                “I thought…I thought I was more like Daddy,” she whispered after a few minutes of silence.

                “Now you’re afraid that you’re not.”

                “I know that I’m not.  I know that I’m more like you and Abby.  I can feel it.  Deep inside of my stomach, I can feel it twisting around.”

                “These are bad things?”

                “I don’t know, you tell me.  You’re the psychiatrist.”

                “I’m more of your father.”

                “I know what you and Abby are, I know what you do.  I understand, sort of, why you do it.  I know that you’d protect me, I know Daddy would too.  But you already have Abby…I just..I think..”

                “That Will needs you.”

                She nodded then quickly swiped away some stray tears with the heel of her hand.

                “He needs all of us, Clarice.”

                “I just wanted him to have one normal daughter.”

                “You are… _normal_ ,” he said; the word tasted sour on his tongue.

                “I don’t want him to think that he failed or something, you know?”

                “He hasn’t failed.  He won’t see it that way.”

                “Just thought it’d be nice.  He wouldn’t have to worry about me.”

                “Fathers always worry about their daughters,” he laughed.

                She drained the rest of her tea and lightly pressed her heels into Athena’s back.  She watched Lamia stretch her sleek black body in front of the double doors, head still raised, ever on guard.

                “I’m gonna take a nap,” Clarice mumbled.

                Hannibal nodded then stood.  He ran a gentle hand down the side of her face.

                “Do not be disappointed, my dear.  You’ll understand in a few years just how special you truly are.”

                She gave him a little smile before she retired to her bedroom with Athena.  Lamia had followed behind, making sure that the girl was safe before she returned downstairs to her Master.

                Clarice woke an hour later.  Her thighs were sticky and warm.  She reached between them and saw the bright blood shining on her fingers.  She swallowed down her nausea. She so did not want to talk to her fathers about this.                     


	2. Chapter 2

_Clarice watched the blood drip onto the cutting board.  The scarlet drops mixed in with the orange carrot slices._

_“Papa,” she whimpered._

_“Shhh,” Hannibal soothed as he lifted her finger to his mouth.  He sucked the blood from her wound then bit down through her flesh._

_She screamed until her throat was raw._

~~

                “Athena, _būti ramus_ ,” Hannibal ordered the howling dog before he took firm hold of Clarice’s shoulders.

                The dog obediently shut up, but continued to pace the room. 

                “Clarice, wake up,” Hannibal said strongly before he gently shook her.

                Her blue eyes flew open and that’s when she realized that she was actually screaming.  She shut her mouth then took a deep breath in through her nose.  Athena relaxed once the screaming stopped.  Will stumbled into the bedroom, almost tripping over Lamia who was seated protectively in the middle of the doorway.

                “Another nightmare?” Will asked as he moved closer to the bed.

                She nodded.  Hannibal’s fingers dug painfully into her shoulders.  “Papa, I’m fine now,” she told him softly so he released his grip on her.

                “You woke up screaming, Clarice, you’re not fine,” Will stated as he pressed the back of his hand to her forehead, checking for a fever.

                “What was this one about?” Hannibal asked curiously.

                Clarice stubbornly kept her mouth shut.

                “You talk to her,” Hannibal sighed.  He pressed a kiss to Clarice’s forehead before he left the room with Lamia at his heels.

                Will smoothed his daughter’s light brown hair back and offered her a smile.

                “What’s up, kiddo?” he asked.

                She sighed then shrugged.  “Puberty, I guess,” she mumbled, making sure to avoid eye contact with him.

                “ _Oh_ , I see,” Will commented and furrowed his brow a bit.  “That doesn’t explain the nightmares though.”

                “Maybe my subconscious is trying to let me know what I’m going to turn into.”

                “Which is what?”

                “A monster.  Just like Papa and Abigail.”

                “They aren’t monsters, Clarice,” Will scolded.

                “We pretend that they aren’t, but deep down we know that they are.”

                Will’s mouth settled into a thin line.

                “Do you want me to make you some tea?  I remember tea used to help Abigail with her cramps.”  It was clear he was trying to avoid this subject matter.

                “I don’t want any god damn tea.”

                “ _Clarice_.”

                “Just leave me alone.”

                “If that’s what you want.”

                “It is.”

                Will frowned, but left.  Athena jumped onto the bed and the twelve year old wrapped her arms around the fluffy dog’s neck then proceeded to cry into the white fur.

~~

                “She’s pubescent, Will, they tend to be moody.”

                “ _Please_ do not use that word again.”

                Hannibal rolled his eyes.  “Do you want me to speak to her?”

                “Teenage girls can be incredibly rude, are you sure you’re up for that?”

                “Are you worried that I’m going to eat our daughter?”

                “No, I know that you wouldn’t.  You love her just as you love me and Abby.”

                Hannibal reached out and cupped Will’s face with one hand.

                “The monster with a heart,” Hannibal said wryly.

                “Stop it,” Will scolded then took hold of his husband’s nightshirt and pulled him close for a kiss.

                “Hi,” Clarice said softly after watching the tender, private moment.

                Will quickly pulled away from the kiss with a bit of a red face.  He still got horribly embarrassed whenever the girls caught him and Hannibal in an intimate moment.  He figured no kids really wanted to see their parents like that.

                “Why have you been crying?” Hannibal asked gently.  The girl’s eyes were slightly red and puffy.

                “I don’t know.  Hormones and all that I guess.  Everything is becoming very overwhelming all of a sudden,” she said softly as she leaned against the doorframe of their bedroom.

                Hannibal motioned for her to come and join them.  Tentatively, she walked into the bedroom and perched herself on the edge of the bed.  She wasn’t ready to be physically close to either father just yet.

                “Sorry about earlier.  I didn’t mean to be so attitude-ish,” she told Will.

                “That’s not a word, Clarice,” Hannibal frowned.

                “I forgive you, but this is something we should all talk about,” Will replied.

                “Not sure I wanna talk about it.”  She played with a stray thread on her cotton pajama pants.

                “Ignoring it won’t make it go away.”

                “I know,” she sighed.

                “Maybe we should go away next weekend?  Go and visit Abigail perhaps?” Hannibal suggested.  Will eyed his husband.  He didn’t appreciate him changing the subject.

                Clarice brightened at that suggestion.  “Yes, I like that.  Can we stay at that bed and breakfast?  They have the best muffins and the gardens are beautiful.”

                “I think your father and I can arrange that,” Hannibal smiled before he ran a hand down her silken hair.

                “Cool.  Um, can I sleep in here tonight?”

                “Yes,” Will replied quickly and began to make space for her on the bed, between him and Hannibal.

                She nestled into the familiar spot that she had occupied quite a bit during her childhood.  It was safe and warm.  She needed safe and warm right now.  When Hannibal settled next to her, she took hold of his silk nightshirt and buried her face against his arm, slowly breathing in his scent.  He did always tend to smell a bit better than Will.  She fell asleep against their bodies and didn’t have nightmares.

~~

                “I’ve booked next weekend for us at the inn and Abigail is delighted that we’re coming for a visit.  I had to promise to bring her some home cooked food of course,” Hannibal informed them over breakfast.  “However….” His gaze settled on Clarice.

                “What?” she sighed softly after she had swallowed a bite of her omelet.

                “Your father is right.  We can’t ignore these nightmares and the underlying cause of them.”

                “We already know what’s causing them,” she said with a bit of bite in her voice.

                His gaze hardened and she lowered her blue eyes.

                “Sorry,” she mumbled.

                “Speak clearly, Clarice.  Mumbling has no place in my household,” Hannibal stated sternly and she looked to Will for help.

                “Papa’s right.  We raised you with manners,” Will chided gently.  She had gotten off rather easy the past few days for her rudeness and attitude.

                “I’m sorry,” Clarice said evenly.

                Hannibal nodded his approval.

                “I’ve arranged for you to have a session with Dr. Du Maurier.”

                “But!”

                Hannibal silenced her with a look that even gave Will a chill down his spine.

                “This is not up for discussion.  It’s not ethical or beneficial for you to have a session with me and Alana, well she can’t know certain details.”

                “Papa, I would never…”

                “I know you wouldn’t, my darling.  But you need someone to be completely open with and Bedelia, she understands everything about me.”

                “Ok.  But just one session with her,” she tried to bargain.

                Hannibal scoffed.  “Absolutely not.  One session would not solve any problem.  You’ll be seeing her twice a week for as long as the nightmares persist.”

                Clarice’s jaw dropped and looked to Will for help again.

                “Sorry, my love.  I’m in agreement with Papa.”

                “But you hate therapy!”

                “It has its benefits and I don’t _hate_ it.”

                “You said it doesn’t work.”

                “I always said that it wouldn’t work on me, because I didn’t want it to.   I knew all the tricks.  I’ve changed my mind on the subject.”

                “You should have asked me first, instead of forcing me to go.”

                “We’re your parents, we get to decide what’s best for you,” Hannibal said.

                She could feel the hateful, stinging words bubbling in the back of her throat, itching to come out so they could spill angrily upon her two dads.  She took a sip of orange juice in order to keep them down.

                “Come on, finish breakfast then I’ll drive you to school,” Will offered with a smile.

                “Yes, Daddy.”

                


	3. Chapter 3

                “I know you’re not happy about the arrangement, but you might find it helpful,” Will said kindly.

                “I doubt it,” she scoffed before she sulked in her seat.

                “Clarice, come on.  This attitude.  It’s not going to win you any points.  Especially with Papa.  You’re already on thin ice with him.”

                “What’s he going to do?  Eat me?”

                Will slammed on the breaks and she yelped, feeling her heart seize in her chest briefly from shock.

                “That’s not funny.”  She could see the anger flash in his blue eyes.  She had heard certain things about her father, but she had never witnessed them herself.  Maybe she just had.

                “I’m sorry,” she whispered, truly meaning her words.

                Will softened.  “Me too, I shouldn’t have frightened you like that.”

                “I just…you and Papa should have asked me first,” she said softly when he started to drive the car again.

                “Ok, you’re right about that.  Would you have said no?”

                “Probably,” she admitted as she picked under a nail.

                Will chuckled softly as he turned into the drop off lane.

                “Do you want me to pick you up after school?”

                “I have violin on Wednesdays, remember?  Caroline’s mother will drop me off,” she reminded him.

                “Ah yes, that’s right.  I’ll see you at dinner then.”

                “See ya, Daddy,” she said and kissed his cheek before grabbing her backpack and violin case then headed inside.

~~

                “Ouch,” Caroline hissed when the string broke and cut her index finger.

                “You don’t wrap them properly, that’s why they keep breaking,” Clarice said.

                “You have a band aid?”

                “You need to clean it first or it will get infected, come on,” Clarice said and took Caroline into the girl’s lavatory.

                Hannibal had made a little first aid kit for her that she carried around in her back pack.  She cleaned the cut with soap and water then wiped it with an alcohol pad.

                “Ow!  Shit!  That stings!” Caroline yelped.

                Clarice rolled her eyes then wrapped the band aid around her friend’s finger.

                “You should be a doctor or something, you’d be good at it,” Caroline commented as she gently flexed her injured finger.

                “That’s what Papa hopes, I don’t know.  I kind of want to work for the FBI, like my Dad.”

                “You’re lucky that you have two dads.  Having two moms is super annoying, I swear to God.”

                “Parents are super annoying in general, I think,” Clarice laughed.

                Caroline smiled, but shook her head.  “Nah, you’re really lucky.  Your dads are great. At least they don’t work at the school.”

                Clarice gave her a little smile then followed her out of the bathroom.  She noticed a little bit of Caroline’s blood had gotten on her fingertips.  She pushed down the urge to suck them clean.

~~

                “Au revoir, Clarice. Je vous verrai en classe demain,” Maria smiled as Clarice got out of the car.

                “Mooom, we’re not in school, speak English,” Caroline replied with a roll of her eyes.

                “Au revoir, Madame. Je l'attends avec impatience,” Clarice replied.

                “Show off!” Caroline teased her friend then poked her tongue out at her.  “See ya.”

                Clarice gathered up her things then walked inside of the house.  Athena greeted her with an excited bark.

                “Hi, baby, you wanna go for a walk?” she smiled and reached for the purple leash.

                Lamia poked her sleek head around the corner out the sound of the word walk.

                “You can come too,” Clarice told the Doberman, who in turn wagged her stubby tail in response.  “Winston, we’re going for a walk!” she called out and the old dog slowly made his way to the front door.  He wagged his tail at the girl before he laid down.  Old age was catching up with him.

                “You’re a good boy,” Clarice cooed and pet his soft, brown ears for a few moments.

                She hooked Lamia up to her silver leash then took the dogs around the neighborhood.  Her fathers were still at work and she relished the time she got to herself before they got home.  There was a time she always wanted to be by their sides.  Maybe having sessions with Bedelia would help, at least a bit.

                Lamia let out a low growl when she saw a squirrel and jilted Clarice out of her head.

                “Hey, no,” Clarice told her seriously while Athena crunched burnt orange colored leaves between her teeth.

                Lamia gave her an indignant look.  She wanted her prey.

                “Alright, fine,” Clarice sighed and unhooked the silver leash.

                The champion bred Doberman quickly snatched up her prey then bought it over to Clarice, stubby tail wagging with pride.

                “Yes, good girl,” she praised with a roll of her eyes.  “Papa would be so proud.”

                Athena looked up Clarice curiously when Lamia dug into her catch, ripping flesh apart and swallowing it whole.

                “It’s what she does.  It’s what Papa and Abigail do.  It’s what I might do.  Will you still love me even if I turn out to be a monster?”

                Athena wagged her tail in response.  “Good to know.”

                Once Lamia was finished eating, she took the dogs home.

~~

                “What is wrong, Lamia?  Are you sick?” Hannibal asked his dog while she lay by her food dish with complete disinterest.  Winston also laid by his food bowl with disinterest, although he was eating less and less lately which worried Will a great deal.

                “She caught a squirrel during our walk this afternoon.  She’s probably not hungry,” Clarice offered up while she slicked up her “pork” chop.

                Hannibal beamed down with pride at his dog. “Gera mergaitė,” he praised and she seemed to smile up at him.

                “How was your lesson this afternoon?” Hannibal asked.

                “Monsieur Trevee, didn’t show up, so Caroline and I worked through our practices on our own,” Clarice replied.

                “He is paid an obscene amount of money to provide you with lessons.  I expect him to show up,” Hannibal frowned.

                “He probably just got sick or something,” Clarice shrugged.

                “Perhaps.”

                “Sorry, I’m late,” Will apologize as he came rushing into the dining room.

                He gave each a kiss on the cheek then fussed over Winston before taking his usual seat.

                “How was school?” he asked their daughter so she told him about her day.

~~

                After dinner, Clarice settled in the living room with the dogs and her homework while Will helped Hannibal with the dishes.

                “Sorry that I was late.  You know how Jack can be,” Will apologize as he wiped down the drinking glasses.

                “I do and don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re properly punished for it later,” Hannibal said with an evil twinkle in his eye that made Will shiver.

                “Do you think Clarice hates me?” Hannibal asked softly and Will raised a curious brow then laughed softly.  “I’m glad you’re so amused,” Hannibal grumbled.

                “Sorry, it’s just that, you sound so much like a Dad when you say that,” Will chuckled.

                “Have I not sounded like one before?”

                “You know what I mean.  I’m not used to you being so clichéd.  It’s adorable really.”

                Hannibal glowered at him and at the thought of the adjective adorable being used to describe him in any way, shape or form.

                “She doesn’t hate you.  She’s just being a teenage girl.  You were just lecturing me about that the other day,” Will pointed out.  “She’s being a bit rebellious and well unfortunately, they tend to rebel against the strictest parent.”

                “Fair enough,” Hannibal sighed.

                “She’s not a little girl anymore, Hannibal, and I hate it as much as you do.  Trust me,” Will admitted as he wrapped his arms around Hannibal’s waist then rested his head on his shoulder.

                “Mmm, it’s a good thing we only had two, otherwise I might have been driven to an early grave.”

                “Just wait until she starts dating.”

                “That’s not funny at all, William.”

                “Oh, it’s a little bit funny.”

                Hannibal grumbled in response then threw a dish towel at Will’s head.

                “Very mature, Dr. Lecter,” Will teased.

                Hannibal narrowed his eyes, stepped closer to Will and was caught off guard briefly when Will grabbed him by the tie and pulled him in for a fierce kiss.

                “Let’s move this to the bedroom lest we scar Clarice for life,” Hannibal murmured against Will’s warm mouth.

                Will merely moaned in agreement.

               

               

                

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Je vous verrai en classe demain=I'll see you in class tomorrow
> 
> *Je l'attends avec impatience=I look forward to it
> 
> *Gera mergaitė=good girl
> 
> This fic is turning very domestic!!


	4. Chapter 4

                Clarice tightened her grip on Hannibal’s arm as they walked up the steps of Bedelia’s beautiful house.  Slim fingers dug into his bicep and he could hear her pulse quicken.

                “There’s no need to be frightened,” he said.

                “Not frightened, nervous,” she corrected.

                “My mistake.  I could wait for you, if that would make you more comfortable.”  The plan had been to drop her off then pick her up after her hour long session.

                “You wouldn’t eavesdrop, would you?” she asked softly.

                “Of course not.  I value doctor/patient confidentiality and I wouldn’t violate your session.  It would be unethical.”

                “Parents don’t always care about the ethical,” Clarice pointed out.

                “I promise not to eavesdrop.”

                “Then I would like for you stay.”

                Hannibal smiled then wrapped an arm around her shoulders before he knocked on the door.

                “Hannibal. Clarice. Please come in,” Bedelia said as she let them inside.

                “I told Papa he could stay, if that’s alright,” Clarice said.

                Bedelia raised an eyebrow.

                “If that’s what you’d prefer.  Hannibal, make yourself comfortable with in my den while I take Clarice with me,” Bedelia said then guided the petite girl into her office.  It was an area she rarely used in her house, but figured it would be a more appropriate setting.  She was doing this as a curtosey for Hannibal.

                “So um, what are we supposed to talk about it?” Clarice asked softly after she sat down in the plush cream colored love seat.

                “Whatever you’d like to talk about.  You’re having nightmares I’ve been told, would you like to talk about those?” Bedelia suggested as she sat down in the chair and crossed her legs.

                Clarice sighed and was silent for a few moments.  “You know about Papa and Abigail, yes?”

                “I do.  Your Papa and I have a long, detailed history, I know everything about him.  He’s predilections saved my life.”

                Clarice wrinkled her nose a bit.  She wondered if her Papa had ever had an affair with this woman.  _Ewww no, do not think about that_.

                “Have I said something offending?” Bedelia asked curiously.

                “No, I just…never mind.  I don’t really wanna talk about the nightmares.  Not yet.”

                “When you’re ready, we’ll discuss them.  What shall we talk about instead?”

                “I wanna join the FBI, when I’m older.  Like my Dad.”

                “Will would be proud and it’s a good career goal to have.”

                “I’m afraid that I’ll disappoint Papa though.  He wants me to be a doctor.”

                “Most parents make plans for their children.  He’ll understand that you need to choose the path that’s right for you.”

                “Do you really think so?” Clarice asked skeptically.

                “I do.  But if you’re unsure, it’s always a matter you can discuss with him.  I’m sure he’d appreciate it.”

                “I’m not so sure.”

                “Are you afraid of him, Clarice?”

                She hesitated.  “No, I don’t think so.  It’s not that.  I think I’m starting to realize how dangerous and how powerful he actually is.”

~~

                Hannibal sipped on the glass of red wine while Lamia dozed at his feet.

                “Clarice, my darling, do you wish to keep me company?” he asked gently when he realized the girl was in the study with him.

                “Yeah, I was wondering if you could help me with my French verb conjugations, Papa.  I’m having trouble with them,” she said as she walked further into the study.

                “I would be happy to do so,” he smiled and patted the spot next to him.

                Lamia lifted her head briefly then settled back into her light nap.  Clarice tucked her legs beneath her then flipped open her French workbook.  Hannibal peered down at the work she had completed so far.

                “Someone is fibbing I think,” Hannibal mused when he realized all of her work looked correct to him.

                Clarice smiled a bit and a little blush crept up her cheeks.  “Just wanted to be sure everything was right.”

                Hannibal chuckled and kissed her temple.

                “Could I have a sip of your wine, Papa?  Please?” she asked.

                “Just don’t tell your father,” Hannibal said as he handed her the glass.

                She took a generous sip, closed her French book then snuggled closer into Hannibal while the warmth of wine settled over her.

                “Papa, would you be disappointed in me if I wanted to join the FBI when I got older?” she asked softly.

                “Not at all.”

                “But you wanted me to be a doctor.”

                “That doesn’t mean I would force you down a path that you didn’t want to follow.  Your father is part of the FBI, it’s an honorable profession.”  His fingers tugged gently on her braid.

                “Cause I was thinking…that way I could help Daddy protect…you and Abby.”

                “You would be a good protector, my love.”

                “But you don’t need it?” she guessed.

                “I realize the necessity of having people on my side.”

                “That doesn’t answer my question.”

                “Are you sure you don’t want to follow in my footsteps, _chérie?_ You seem to already have a knack for it.”  He smoothed his hand down her braid then settled his fingers around her shoulder.  “No, I don’t need protection.  I’ve been a man who could take care of myself for many years.  I was quite used to the solitude until Will, Abigail and finally, my little Clarice, came into my life.  I’ve come to realize how comforting it is to be surrounded by family, even if it is rather unconventional.  I don’t need Will’s protection, but I enjoy having it.”

                “Because you love him?”

                “Because I love him.”

                “And Abigail?”

                “Yes, of course.”

                “And me?”

                “I love you the most of all, Clarice.  But you must keep that a secret.”

                “Cross my heart and hope to die. I love you too, Papa.”

                “Shall I read to you before bed?”

                “I would like that.”

                She unfolded her legs then walked over to the shelves adorned with books.  Her fingers roamed over the various spines and she could feel Hannibal watching her curiously.  He had a wonderful selection and could probably put most libraries to shame.  She had meant to pick something more grown up (something in French or Russian even), but she ended up pulling The Secret Garden off one of the shelves.

                “I used to read this to you every night for a week, you loved it,” Hannibal said fondly when she pressed the book into his hands.

                “I remember,” she smiled as she curled against his side with one of his arms wrapped protectively around her.

                “ _When Mary Lennox was sent to Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle everybody said she was the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen. It was true, too. She had a little thin face and a little thin body, thin light hair and a sour expression. Her hair was yellow, and her face was yellow because she had been born in India and had always been ill in one way or another_.”

                Clarice closed her eyes and allowed her Papa’s voice to soothe her into a pleasant sleep.  He continued with a few of the short chapters until her body was heavy against his side.  Athena curiously poked her head into the study then retreated when she saw that Clarice was ok.

                “That’s a very nice sight,” Will smiled when he saw them.

                “It’s been awhile since I’ve read to the girls.  I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed it.”

                “It makes you very…sexy.”

                “ _William_.”

                “I’m not kidding.  When you get all paternal, it makes me want to…do things to you.”

                “Do things to me?” Hannibal scoffed.  “I see your seduction techniques have not improved any.”

                Will shrugged his shoulders. 

                “Let me tuck her in then I will join you in our room,” Hannibal said decisively.

                “Then we can do things?” Will said with a teasing smile.

                “Oh yes, we will do many things, my dear _William_ ,” Hannibal replied.

                “ _Gross_ ,” Clarice mumbled as Hannibal carried her up to bed.

                She missed the sight of Will turning beet red.

               

               

               

 

               

                

**Author's Note:**

> I hadn't planned on writing a sequel, but the thought kept nagging me.


End file.
